Life Lessons

Admiral William H. McRaven, ninth commander of US Special Operations Command, delivered the commencement address at the University of Texas at Austin. Adm. McRaven distills his six months of basic SEAL training into ten life lessons that apply to everyone.

The first task of every day was to make the bed. “It was a simple task, mundane at best. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALs, but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over.

“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.

“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. Any if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made – that you made – and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”

Watch the rest of the address here.